The BlackHammer CyberPunk Project

DNA Genesis
"Technology has turned reality into a paradox,
Forms are not always as they seem.

The struggle for non conformity
has become even more complicated.
Technology has learned to duplicate, rebuild,
and remanufacture reality and humanity.
The ability to take a template and replicate it
is not a fantasy anymore, it is a threat.
The struggle against confromity has become a
comprehensive investigation into the technology
that works against the priciple of individuality
and non conformity: Cloning Technology.
Humanity has become a relative term in the search for Truth
A search for clues
A search for variable sin life and mutation in a genus.
One will find that each form has been specifically
designed for the business of survival"

-- Fear Factory


 
Cloning Technology
2020

With the advent of cloning technology from full-grown cells in 1996, any full-grown animal life form could be duplicated in whole (although younger) by modern industry.

The first human clones were decanted in 2001 by the now extinct BioMedTech inc in Peru (because most first-world nations had draconian anti-cloning laws in effect.) At first clones were only produced of people showing exceptional physical or mental traits, but with the advent of nanotechnology, true genetic engineering became a possibility, allowing otherwise normal genomres to be invested with remarkable attributes.

In 2013 a new "tweak" was added to a clone by a Biotechnica GenEng team, allowing their clones to grow to maturity within 2.5 years of their decanting. This time would be spent by the clones in intensive BrainDance training to provide them with the skills required by their soon-to-be professions. The downside of this growth enhancement is that the clone continues to age rapidly... although showing no signs of aging for the first 10 years, they are not expected to survive past their 14th year as they enter accellerated, advanced decrepitude.

A quite recent development using these accellerated development technologies is a nanotech device allowing the combination of animal DNA with human DNA to produce seeming animal/human hybrids. Since these clones use animal DNA as their base, any amount of modification to the genomes is legal, as the plethora of U.N. and corporate-enforced Genome Protection Treaties do not protect animal clones. Also these hybrids are not protected by human rights as they are still considered to be animals, although they are still protected by the ASPCA.

Creating Clone Characters

Clone characters should have the "owe major corporation life" flaw (5 points), usually balanced out with one or more enhanced attributes, sometimes as high as 12. Age of classic clones cannot be greater than 19 in a 2020 game, 20 in a 2021 game, etc.

Rapid-Growth Clones (RG-Clones) also gain a limited life expectancy flaw (die in 8-10 years: 1 point flaw, die in 4-8 years: 2 point flaw, die in 2-4 years: 3 point flaw) depending on their current age. Some rare RG-clones have an extremely reduced lifespan (à la Blade Runner replicants) of 4 years (3 point flaw again), but this is uncommon as most corporations want maximum payout from their initial cloning investments. The most common use of this limiter is in clones decanted for use as assassins.

Animal Hybrid Clones require the special merit "Animal Hybrid Clone" (2 points), which balances out their limited life expectancy (flaw as any other RG-Clone). They are also designed using very specific rules.

RG-Clones have relatively low starting skill levels (topping out at 4-5) when they are merged with society or assigned their jobs due to the rushed VR training they have received with no real-world experience.

 

Purchasing Clones

A basic Rapid Growth Clone of yourself or someone who's DNA you own the copyright on will cost 250,000eb with basic training (standard 40 skill points and 15 freebies)

A Rapid Growth custom-engineered clone (you get to decide on it's stat placement, etc) will set you back a mere 400,000eb.

A Rapid Growth hybrid clone will cost from 100,000eb (GM designs its stats, you can request a few skills in it's training) to 300,000eb (your design) to 750,000eb (for a total custom job ot like any other one out there).

 

Other Uses For
Cloning Technology

Although other advances have been made to speed cell growth far beyond those used in Rapid Growth Clones, invariably they have damaged or stunted brain growth.

What this has led to is ultra-growth clones being grown to maturity in 6 to 8 weeks for organ harvesting. Although this is not technically legal in the US, major corporations do it in their basement labs anyways. This system almost completely eliminates the chance of organ trasnplant rejection among clients who can afford it (ultra-growth clones cost aprox 150,000eb each, and any particular organ has a 96% chance of being functional in the brainless clone). With good enough Ultra Growth clones (250,000eb each, 20% chance each clone matures properly to owner specifications, plus an additional 250,000eb for +1 to any one stat, max of four boosted stats) brain transplants are now a possibility. The actual operation requires a Near Impossible (dif 30) MedTech roll, and even with a biologically perfect clone there is still a 20% chance of the new body rejecting the transplant, therefore killing the brain. At the few clinics that will even consider doing this operation it costs 125,000eb and up.

 

Cell-1

 

Cell-2

 

Cell-3

 

Cell-4

 


Animal Hybrid Clones

Biotechnica has established a system in which vat grown humanoids can be created and reach maturity in 2.5 years using the RG-Clone technologies. These creatures are "Custom Built" by combining human and animal DNA, and infusing the mix into the "Birthing Vat". The resulting creature ends up with the abilities and instincts of the Animal, and the learning capabilities of the Human. During the last 2 years of the birthing process, the clones are maintained in a braindance training environment.

In 2013, the federal courts made a ruling that genetically manipulated animals, even those with human DNA, "being made and not part of nature have no rights offered to them except for those predetermined by previous laws accorded to the treatment of animals." (In other words, legalized slavery)

1) Since they are not quite human to begin with, any cybernetics cost DOUBLE the Humanity Loss (in other words, you are making an animal a human, then changing it into a machine)

2) Since these Creatures reach maturity in just over a year, they will also grow old faster, figure 7 years per 1 human.

3) As a Player Character, the background will have to reflect one of three things, escape, buy-out, or release of contract.

4) because of this, the background and starting equipment / euro will be determined by the GM.

5) Most of the animal types here (70%) will end up as expensive slave / servants, with some few being used as professionals in fields where their natural enhancements make them particularly useful (security work, animal handling, bouncers).

6) EMP is the most important stat of these created beings, also it is the hardest to come by. Starting Characters pay DOUBLE for their initial EMP stat (MAX of 5).

7) All beings will be designed using BIOpoints for game balance. Below are the costs associated with the various options available for animal hybrid clones: 30 BIOpoints
[BIO cost is in Green]

Claws[4]1d6 damage, 1/2 SP, 1d3 Humanity Loss
Retractable Claws[5]1d6 damage, 1/2 SP, 1d3 Humanity Loss
Climbing Claws[1]1d2 Humanity Loss, must have claws, +2 climbing skill.
Digging[2]1d2 Humanity Loss, must have claws, dig BODY/2 feet per minute.
Horns[3]1d10 damage, 1d3+2 Humanity Loss
Sharp Horns[5]1d10 damage, 1/2 SP, 1d3+2 Humanity Loss
Tusks[3]1d10 damage, 1d6+1 Humanity Loss
Sharp Tusks[5]1d10 damage, 1/2 SP, 1d6+1 Humanity Loss
Teeth[1]1d3 damage, 1d6/3 Humanity Loss
Big Teeth[2]1d6 damage, 1d3 Humanity Loss
Hooves[2]1D6 Humanity Loss, Kick does +2 damage
Scent Pouch[2]2d6 Humanity Loss, causes irritation, victims are -4 REF, and -4 COOL. 4 uses, recharges 1 use per 8 hours
Quills[6]+1d6 damage (1/2 SP) to hand-to-hand (punching and kicking) +2d6 (1/2 SP) to all grappling attacks, including being grappled, 3d6 Humanity Loss
Partial Biped[1]3d6 Humanity Loss, +1 MA running on all four limbs, -4 MA, -1 REF running on two legs. +2 damage when kicking while on all four limbs.
Digitigrade Legs[3]2d6 Humanity Loss, if the clone has a tail this gives +1 MA, +2 on athletics rolls and +2 kick damage, without a tail it provides -2 MA and -1 REF. Cannot be combined with Partial Biped.
Tail[1]1d6 Humanity Loss, Acts as a counter-balance providing +1 on athletics rolls.
Prehensile Tail[3]2d6 Humanity Loss, +1 athletics rolls as above, and can handle weapons, etc, at -4 REF and STR.
Jumping[2]1d6 Humanity Loss, x2 jumping distance (x3 with digitigrade legs or partial biped).
Enhanced Metabolism[6]+2 MA, +4 initiative, -1 Endurance. Must consume double normal food quantity per day. Can be taken twice.
NightVision[2]see in near total darkness, including nighttime
Nictating Membrane[1]Provides protection against irritant gases and sandstorms, etc.
Enhanced Hearing[2]+2 awareness/notice using audio
Ultrasonic hearing[1]can hear beyond the normal human range
Enhanced Smell[2]+2 Awareness/Notice using smell
Enhanced Tracking Smell[2]+3 to Tracking skill, + Enhanced Smell
Enhanced Strength: +1[2]1d6/2 HL per point, max 5 points
Enhanced Size: +1[2]1d6/2 HL per BODY point, max 5 points
Enhanced Speed: +1[2]1d6/3 HL per MA point, max 5 points
Enhanced Reflexes: +1[3]1d6/2 HL per REF point, max 4 points
Fur[2]1d3 HL, SP 4 (like leather)
Light Natural Body Armour[4]1d6 HL, SP 9 (Rhinos, Elephants, Hippos)

A sample NPC based on these rules is Donovan XF4.

 

These rules were written for the BlackHammer Cyberpunk Project rules, and therefore uses both strength and body stats as well as having higher costs for the clones.

With the use of Merits and Flaws to design clone characters, the character creation process is not actually fully compatible with the standard CP2020 rules, but works perfectly with the BlackHammer and Ocelot character systems. Otherwise, assume that flaws give extra skill points and merits cost skill points. In addition, Clones built using the classic CP2020 generation system can purchase higher stats at a cost of 4 skill points per stat point, representing their superior genetic engineering.

The original kick-ass rules for the Animal Hybrid Clones were created by Paul D Romine who has given me his kind permission to fiddle with them for use in this article. The original version is available on his New Tulsa 2020 website.

 

 

Special thanks also go out to the Safety Twins, Daniel-8 and Danielle-6 (D-6 and D-8), for making me finish off these zygotic rules that I had started on ages and ages ago.

 

 

Thanks to CarrotLove for the opportune timing of the Clone Jokes.